The Million-Dollar Heart

Vivienne mulled it over for a second, then said, "Well, it's not exactly like that. My mentor was the kind who'd perk up at the sight of a dollar bill, and now, I'm all about the cash, too. So, I need you to ink a new deal, Vance. You know my Mr. Wolf's unemployed at the moment, and I've got a household to run."

With that, she whipped out a fresh contract and laid it before Vance, the figures in it a whopping fifty percent higher than the previous one.

Without a moment's hesitation, Vance scribbled his signature on the dotted line.

Money was no object when it came to this lifesaving contract.

After closing the contract, Vance's expression regained its composure. "So, is this the reason Jasper called me over today?"

Jasper shook his head. "Of course not. This is a matter my granddaughter brought to you. As for me, I've got another issue to discuss."

Vance straightened up. "What's on your mind?"

"The ancient warrior lineage."

Vance's eyes flickered with disbelief.

Jasper himself hailed from the ancient warrior lineage, and the Perez family held a lofty position within the Vanguard Agency. It was surprising he would broach the topic with Vance, knowing full well that Vance had always wanted to kick the ancient warrior lineage out of the Agency.

"Surprised, huh?" Jasper chuckled. "I know you've got a bone to pick with the ancient warrior lineage, feeling that us old-timers are flexing our family muscles, stifling your special squad's operations, and botching many a mission."

Vance frowned, his gaze drifting over to Percival and Vivienne.

Great, those two were at it again, playing house.

One sipping coffee, the other pouring - living the life of Riley.

Vance had to drag his attention back. "Jasper, just lay your cards on the table."

freshly brewed cup of coffee. "Vance, Jasper here wants a slice of our partnership pie.

to boot the ancient warrior lineage out of the Vanguard Agency. What exactly is the 'pie'

speaking slowly. "I get why you want to push them out. Over time, their influence has grown massive, almost monopolizing power, to the point where even the Perez and Martinez families sometimes

merely vengeful. "You want to

watched Jasper quietly, unsure where he was headed

happened with Noah, did anything

managed to hide a mole in the Vanguard Agency for nearly sixty years, that..." Vance stopped

stay under the radar in the Agency for six decades without anyone catching on? Like those ten children back

the others

not tell the difference between ten or twelve

GTO cutting off its own

never suspected his

lineage to seize power all these years without any of their kin by his side. Why the

It dawned on Vance.

ancient warrior lineages must have

mean that someone within the

not help but break out in a cold

poured Vance another cup of coffee. "My mentor faked his own death because he was being hunted, and those hunters were from the ancient warrior lineages. There's

I sensed someone was after me,

had suspected for years that Ulysses had not perished when his family was

investigating discreetly, using his position within the Vanguard Agency to his

the Emerald Monastery, he would discover that someone was after Finnian's life. Knowing he was no

his dismay, by the time he returned, Finnian had succumbed to illness,

from then on, no